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Tuesday, March 27, 2012

This is my first post for the blog carnival "Letters to Littles". This is a blog carnival that encourages bloggers to write letters to their young chldren about their shared lives in the moment. A snapshot in time is thereby captured, a memory or two, and something of value is created for posterity. Well, lets hope my contribution can be that profound, anyway!

I am excited to make this a semi-regular feature on Witch Mom. What a great idea! When I created the semi-regular feature "Watching My Son Grow" I was thinking it could also do the same thing, but I like this format better, I think.

Dear Rowan,

When Nanny and Pap Pap came to visit with Oscar andFelix, you played in their crates all day!

I have no idea how old you will be when you get to read this, but I hope that you can come back to this blog again and again and read all about you, me, and our family. Our family is a little (ahem) unique and I want to document this grand experiment we are calling The Kunning Family.

At this writing, you are two years and almost two months old. You just really "got" the concept of what birthdays are this last time and now you want to open every box and package that comes (hoping it is a present). Your second birthday was spent in Appalachia, surrounded by family and friends from the UU church there.

We now are getting a new start in Columbus and you are already crushed out on the neighbor girl, Madda. You ask for her almost every day and follow her around like a puppy when you are together. It is pretty cute. A bit ago, we got library cards and now we go to the library once a week to get new books. Our local branch also has a playground behind it, so our Monday outings are super fun for you.

We started attending a new UU church too- and there a few kids in the nursery for you to get to know. So Sundays are fun for you, too- and you ask to go to church on other days of the week.

At the park behind the library

The weather has been unpredictable and kinda crappy (it IS March), but as soon as it warms up, we are going to be taking regular walks to get to know our neighborhood. We will also be volunteering in the community garden, joining the Y, making regular trips to the zoo, and going outside to play more. I can't wait to start exploring our new city and life with you!

While you are "too young" for school, I have been working with you anyway. You are amazing- your vocabulary is extensive, you can count to 12, and you know most of your letters already. You tell stories (to us, to your toys, to the birds) and listen attentively when we read to you. I am blown away at how smart you are and how your personality is already your own.

You have this amazing smile that we call your "Cholla smile" you started smiling that way, with all your teeth exposed like a predator, the corners of your eyes crinkled in delight after visiting Auntie Cholla and seeing her smile and laugh. You like to make people laugh and perform constantly. I would not be surprised if you became a thespian. When you act out and need to get a time out, you go-to defense is "funny? laughin'?" hoping that if you make us laugh you will avoid discipline.

Snuggling after a long day.

You are in your in your own room with your own big boy bed now, and the transition has not been as hard as I thought it would be (for you, anyway). Sometimes, when you wake upset in the middle of the night, I am more than OK getting into bed with you to snuggle, even though we are sharing a twin bed. When you put your nose against mine and say "I love you, mommy" in the dark, it more than makes up for my loss of sleep. (But can I say that I feel so much more energetic and happy to play with you today, because I got a full night's sleep? Hint hint.)

You talk non-stop. I remember when you were very little, your father and I would talk about how we could not wait until you were old enough to talk and tell us what you are thinking and feeling. Now sometimes, we would love to have 10 minutes of silence! whether or not we will ever get it again, you are a free spirit that loves life and I am so proud to be your mom.

Your hair is almost down to the small of your back now. We have never cut it, and when we ask you if you want it cut (because you HATE when we brush it) you tell us no. So we have not cut it and will not until you want us to.

In closing, I just want to remind you that I love you, you are my favorite person in the whole world, and I can't wait to see what comes next. Together!